Barrel break in accuracy

[Starlite]

Copper fouling is blue, right?

Yes but some brushes can give you a false reading.

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

Cleaned it twice so far, every 10 rounds.

use a plastic bore brush. Bronze brushes tend to mimic copper fouling when in reality is the copper in the bristles that's giving you the blue/green color on your patches.
At this point, you shouldn't need to use an aggressive copper cleaner like sweets or montana extreme or really any ammonia based solvent

 

[RCMSTER]

use a plastic bore brush. Bronze brushes tend to mimic copper fouling when in reality is the copper in the bristles that's giving you the blue/green color on your patches.
At this point, you shouldn't need to use an aggressive copper cleaner like sweets or montana extreme or really any ammonia based solvent

Yeah, I'm using nylon brushes. Run it through about a dozen times, then patches until they come out clean.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Don't be afraid to use bronze brushes. Plastics don't do much fo hard caked on carbon...Yes, they leave residue in the bore but a few wet patches will take of it. It is the carbon you are after. With the right products, most if not all of the copper will come out with chemicals and patches.

 

[nikeandros]

Yes but some brushes can give you a

Yes but some brushes can give you a false reading.

I don't really know the right color of copper residue.. I start cleaning and and color on patches are a dark green bluish color.. I pass Brass brush only with carbon remover than few patches.. whit same hoppe n.9.. but who makes the miracle for me is Few drops on a patches of M-PRO 7 copper remover... I let it seat on the barrel for 3... 5 minutes.. than deep clean again until patches exit white with carbon remover... 2 to 3 dry patches. and finally gun oil ( but that is my 2 cents thecnique!) AND PLEASE ....TOO EVERYONE IF I SHOULDN'T POST THE PICTURE I'M SORRY.. was not to commercialize anything .. nobody paid me for doing it.. just sharing my experiences..

 

[WildRose]

I don't really know the right color of copper residue.. I start cleaning and and color on patches are a dark green bluish color.. I pass Brass brush only with carbon remover than few patches.. whit same hoppe n.9.. but who makes the miracle for me is Few drops on a patches of M-PRO 7 copper remover... I let it seat on the barrel for 3... 5 minutes.. than deep clean again until patches exit white with carbon remover... 2 to 3 dry patches. and finally gun oil ( but that is my 2 cents thecnique!) AND PLEASE ....TOO EVERYONE IF I SHOULDN'T POST THE PICTURE I'M SORRY.. was not to commercialize anything .. nobody paid me for doing it.. just sharing my experiences..

Just swab a bore heavily with a really wet patch of any good quality copper solvent, then stand it barrel down with the muzzle on a folded up paper towel that is setting on a paper plate.

Periodically drop a little more in there with a dropper for a few hours.

Remove and inspect the paper towel.

You'll then know exactly what the copper looks like.

I do this with my rifles as I clean them with foaming bore cleaners, it never lies and always let me know when it's pretty well cleaned.

I'll then use a standard rodding technique but I wrap a patch around the bronze brush and repeat until nothing else comes out on a clean patch.

 

[Starlite]

I don't really know the right color of copper residue.. I start cleaning and and color on patches are a dark green bluish color.. I pass Brass brush only with carbon remover than few patches.. whit same hoppe n.9.. but who makes the miracle for me is Few drops on a patches of M-PRO 7 copper remover... I let it seat on the barrel for 3... 5 minutes.. than deep clean again until patches exit white with carbon remover... 2 to 3 dry patches. and finally gun oil ( but that is my 2 cents thecnique!) AND PLEASE ....TOO EVERYONE IF I SHOULDN'T POST THE PICTURE I'M SORRY.. was not to commercialize anything .. nobody paid me for doing it.. just sharing my experiences..

Some good products and your techniques are yours, but I fail to see how I figure into being tagged. I was simply trying to state bronze brushes will give a "false copper" I use bronze brushes for scrubbing the bore and then rinse with alcohol. I also use bronze jag for all other products too. I use
Boretech copper remover and C4 carbon remover, non stainless barre, Boretech copper remove, wipeout and/ or tactical wipeout, boretech moly (For Walther 6mmCR BARREL ONLY) for stainless barrel (just personal preference)
I always start with wipeout foam and hang the gun overnight muzzle down I always finish with Hornady spray gun cleaner and lube inside and out and H#9 oil patch through the barrel if it will be sitting longer the a month.
my break in is:
1 shot then clean, sighter
2 shots then clean, sighters
3 shots then clean, moderate load seated .010 off for data only
5 shots then clean, moderate load seated.050 off for data only
10 shots then clean, moderate load seated.080 off for data only. (most of the time this is 1 cold bore sighter the 3 three round groups)
then every 10-12 rounds during load development. once complete, then only clean action and an oil patch thru barrel following range shooting. I'll then only do a thorough cleaning when accuracy falls off or after any hunt regardless. (paranoia preference only). If I start another load development it's always from a clean barrel.

Just swab a bore heavily with a really wet patch of any good quality copper solvent, then stand it barrel down with the muzzle on a folded up paper towel that is setting on a paper plate.

Periodically drop a little more in there with a dropper for a few hours.

Remove and inspect the paper towel.

You'll then know exactly what the copper looks like.

I do this with my rifles as I clean them with foaming bore cleaners, it never lies and always let me know when it's pretty well cleaned.

I'll then use a standard rodding technique but I wrap a patch around the bronze brush and repeat until nothing else comes out on a clean patch.

pretty solid technique if you ask me.
I like wipeout foam. Then the next day I'll clean it with wipeout tactical as stated above. Love that stuff.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Read the directions on the bottle before leaving any any aolvents in it for any period of time.

I believe the strong ammonia based ones can be a little rough on the bore. Sweets 7.62 and CR10 come to mind.

 

[PNWdude67]

Just shoot it, clean it at 50 rounds with boretech carbon remover nylon brush or scrub with patch til patches are clean and clean carbon from crown. Then shoot 200 rounds and repeat cleaning about every 200 rounds til the barrel is dead then chamber another barrel. We only shoot stainless barrels or CF wrapped stainless barrels. Have tried a few of the shoot clean repeat break in techniques, but the last 15-20 barrels just shoot about 50 rounds clean, shoot another 50 to get them up to speed and start looking at load data closer. Generally, they speed up about 100 rounds a little bit. When cleaned at 200-300 rounds they will sometimes shoot slow the first 3-4 rounds until fouled with carbon. Yes, we have measured all this with lab radar on enough barrels to see the pattern. I can usually get two barrels shooting drop data identical velocities and grouping well for the team matches we shoot with identical loads. Worst case has been a difference of .3 grains powder to match velocity and sometimes one barrel needs another .001-.002 shoulder bump to feed like butter. So with regard to barrel cleaning, IMHO most folks are over doing it with a regimented shoot/clean/shoot/clean break in procedures and frequent copper removal. Since abandoning that practice a few years ago, I have removed copper and cleaned more aggressively towards the end of barrel life to get another 200-400 rounds for training purpose only out of high round count barrels that start to slip. Doesn't always work. When the 5 shot ES and accuracy start to go again, I retire it. Our barrel life seems to be consistent with the average barrel life expectancy for the specific chambers cut in them.

 

[Tony Formicola]

My approach to reloading is from step 1 every shot counts towards load development. When I get a new rifle or barrel I'll load up a middle of the road charge with a set of several different bullets at some arbitrary distance off the lands depending on the bullet type and weight I will vary the charge and jump to be middle of the road. I shoot groups with these during fireforming. I'll often get a good idea of what the rifle likes from this which will give me a starting point. In some cases the bullet that I designed the gun around is not the winner. This is just a first cut but at least I'm working towards a goal other than mindlessly breaking in a barrel. I hate to hear when someone shoots a box or 2 of ammo in some break in scheme without using the opportunity of every shot to sight in and learn something and the call me all proud to tell me about it.

 

[nikeandros]

Some good products and your techniques are yours, but I fail to see how I figure into being tagged. I was simply trying to state bronze brushes will give a "false copper" I use bronze brushes for scrubbing the bore and then rinse with alcohol. I also use bronze jag for all other products too. I use
Boretech copper remover and C4 carbon remover, non stainless barre, Boretech copper remove, wipeout and/ or tactical wipeout, boretech moly (For Walther 6mmCR BARREL ONLY) for stainless barrel (just personal preference)
I always start with wipeout foam and hang the gun overnight muzzle down I always finish with Hornady spray gun cleaner and lube inside and out and H#9 oil patch through the barrel if it will be sitting longer the a month.
my break in is:
1 shot then clean, sighter
2 shots then clean, sighters
3 shots then clean, moderate load seated .010 off for data only
5 shots then clean, moderate load seated.050 off for data only
10 shots then clean, moderate load seated.080 off for data only. (most of the time this is 1 cold bore sighter the 3 three round groups)
then every 10-12 rounds during load development. once complete, then only clean action and an oil patch thru barrel following range shooting. I'll then only do a thorough cleaning when accuracy falls off or after any hunt regardless. (paranoia preference only). If I start another load development it's always from a clean barrel.

pretty solid technique if you ask me.
I like wipeout foam. Then the next day I'll clean it with wipeout tactical as stated above. Love that stuff.

My approach to reloading is from step 1 every shot counts towards load development. When I get a new rifle or barrel I'll load up a middle of the road charge with a set of several different bullets at some arbitrary distance off the lands depending on the bullet type and weight I will vary the charge and jump to be middle of the road. I shoot groups with these during fireforming. I'll often get a good idea of what the rifle likes from this which will give me a starting point. In some cases the bullet that I designed the gun around is not the winner. This is just a first cut but at least I'm working towards a goal other than mindlessly breaking in a barrel. I hate to hear when someone shoots a box or 2 of ammo in some break in scheme without using the opportunity of every shot to sight in and learn something and the call me all proud to tell me about it.

I agree with u.. .. will be nice from us to stay in contact ( being in the area) maybe a part some shooting teaching and learning we could grab a beer and still talking about rifles.. lol

 

[284ackley]

Just swab a bore heavily with a really wet patch of any good quality copper solvent, then stand it barrel down with the muzzle on a folded up paper towel that is setting on a paper plate.

Periodically drop a little more in there with a dropper for a few hours.

Remove and inspect the paper towel.

You'll then know exactly what the copper looks like.

I do this with my rifles as I clean them with foaming bore cleaners, it never lies and always let me know when it's pretty well cleaned.

I'll then use a standard rodding technique but I wrap a patch around the bronze brush and repeat until nothing else comes out on a clean patch.

It's well known that extended time in the barrel can/will pit the barrel over time. Generally 5min, never more than 15min.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

My approach to reloading is from step 1 every shot counts towards load development. When I get a new rifle or barrel I'll load up a middle of the road charge with a set of several different bullets at some arbitrary distance off the lands depending on the bullet type and weight I will vary the charge and jump to be middle of the road. I shoot groups with these during fireforming. I'll often get a good idea of what the rifle likes from this which will give me a starting point. In some cases the bullet that I designed the gun around is not the winner. This is just a first cut but at least I'm working towards a goal other than mindlessly breaking in a barrel. I hate to hear when someone shoots a box or 2 of ammo in some break in scheme without using the opportunity of every shot to sight in and learn something and the call me all proud to tell me about it.

In the last few barrels I have strapped the Magneeto Speed to it while doing break in just for this purpose...Everything for learning.

 

[5.56×250]

I like to shoot/clean after each round for as many as it takes to FEEL the patch run slick through the tube. Usually 20 shots or so, depending in the quality of the barrel. New hand lapped barrels are usually gtg from the start, but i will still shoot/clean a few rounds just to see if it smooths out.
After that, I will clean periodically , usually from guilt or boredom. I use sweets 7.62 and scrub, then let it sit for 5 minutes. Then hoppes no.9 and scrub. Then a dab of Brownell bore paste for 10 to 20 strokes . Then light oil in patch till clean. They break in quick and are easy to clean for the life of the barrel after that process.